Cake Decorating Classes

With the intention of becoming a "crafty" woman I found myself in Joann's one day looking at different crafts to do.  I didn't find anything that I really wanted to take home and work on, but I ended up the education area looking at different classes to take.  I figured that if I wanted to be crafty I needed to be taught because I wasn't born with any crafting genes like so many of my friends.

I signed up for an intro to sewing class and a Wilton Cake Decorating Basics class.  The sewing class was just a 1 night thing where we learned about the tools needed as well as how to read patterns and buy fabric.  I inherited my Grandma Taylor's old sewing machine so now I just need to get it serviced and hopefully I can become a seamstress of sorts.

As for the cake decorating class it was 4 Saturdays for 2 hours.  When I signed up for the class I got a discount and paid under $30, which I thought was a great deal.  But, then I learned that there are so many different tools needed for this class.  I easily spent $50 on the book and kit I would need for the first class, plus another $50-$100 on all sorts of other materials I had no idea would be needed for a class like this.

Off to my first class I went with a can of frosting, sugar cookies (that I had to make for the class), my book and kit that I bought.  That day we were just taught how to make stars with our frosting.  Here's the fruits of my labor:

Of course there's a "B" and "J" that I made special for Brian and me.

I left that class thinking, hey this is pretty easy, but it also wasn't all that exciting.  Boy, was I in for a surprise when I realized what I needed to do for my 2nd class.

According to my book, I needed to bake 2- 8" round cakes, and make 2 batches of the Wilton Butter Cream frosting and bring them to the next class to learn how to ice my cake.  I chose a strawberry cake because it looked yummy.

When I got to class we learned how to level our cakes and how to ice with a bag and tip.  For some reason I chose purple frosting.  I really don't know what I was thinking because pink and purple is awfully girly and I was going to bring the cake home for Brian and I.  I had some problems icing because I had crumbs getting in the way.  After some help from my teacher and a few extra touches, this is what I ended up with.  I wasn't finished, but I took a picture in case it didn't make it home looking like this.

Once I got home, I finished my cake by putting a design on it.  It's a really cool trick that I learned.  Here I am at home with my cupcake design.

I don't think it turned out too bad.  Brian and I cut some slices to enjoy!

We quickly discovered that the Wilton Butter Cream is disgusting!  The recipe we are given in the book uses shortening instead of butter.  It's way too sugary and it made our stomachs hurt. 

So we did the only thing we could think of with the rest of the cake...

Yep, that's the trash.

Then for the 3rd week we were assigned to bring cupcakes, a filling, and 2 more batches of frosting.  We learned how to fill them.  I filled my chocolate cupcakes with butterscotch pudding, which was delicious.  Unfortunately, I made my frosting too thin so I wasn't able to practice making different shapes and flowers with what I brought.  I was able to practice with the canned frosting instead.

When I got home I finished filling the cupcakes and then I frosted them like I would a normal cupcake.  Nothing fancy.  

I didn't get any pictures of them frosted.  Oh well.

Brian liked the idea of the filing in the bag and decided that he wanted to be filled butterscotch pudding as well!

For the 4th and final class we again had to bring in 2-8" cakes, but we also had to ice the cake before.  After class 3 I was pretty discouraged with my performance.  I really don't like failing at anything and that is what was happening.  My frosting was never the right consistency and as I started working on my cake I was have the same problems that I did in week 2 because my frosting wasn't sticking to the cake and crumbs were getting all in the icing.  It was a mess and so was I.  I was in tears and Brian was trying to console me, but I was just so frustrated.  I did what I could and then I left it for class the next day.  It was ugly, but I was so upset I didn't care.  That morning I did not want to get up to go.  Brian had to practically kick me out of bed.  I was "Negative Nancy" even once I got there.  My teacher then told me that if I would have put my cake in the fridge overnight and re-iced it that morning that my crumbs would no longer be showing.  Well, I guess I know now.  In class that day we learned how to make roses.  My frosting was a little stiff, but I decided to use it anyway, and this is the cake I created.

I made it a 6 Months Anniversary cake for Brian and I.  I must say that I loved my roses.  I had finally found something I was somewhat good at in the class.  I loved making them, hence why my cake has so many.  Of course after I put them all on there I didn't have much room for the text (which should be put on before any decorations).  Brian praised my roses when I got home and I was grateful for that.

Here I am with my certificate for completing the course and boy was I glad it was over!

 

So for me the class was difficult and I'm sure it's not so hard for everyone, but I didn't give up like I wanted to.  I stuck with it and ended up making some pretty roses.  Overall it was fun learning to decorate, but I can say that it may be awhile before I take the next class...